Page 17 of The Swan Syndicate
She gave him a sly smile. “I believe in being prepared. Now, I must go. It seems the lady of the manor’s work is more trying than I could imagine. Mrs. Walker has questions about the hunting party, Barrington tells me Mary has arranged for afternoon tea with Eleanor, assuming we can stop her from following the housemaids around, and now I have to fit in a game or two of chess with Hensley. Thank you for the walk through the garden.” She leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek that he clearly hadn’t expected.
She grinned. It wasn’t the most subtle seed she’d ever planted, but Jamie was a quick study. It was the best she could do for now.
7
Mary, Hensley’s wife and expert party planner, leaned back while the footman placed platters of sandwiches and tiny cakes on the table and refilled teacups. She repositioned her napkin and glanced around the solarium. “I never paid much attention to this particular room. It seems to have a feminine touch I wouldn’t expect from Teddy.”
Stella surveyed the room as if seeing it for the first time and considered the rest of the manor. “The decor might be left over from the previous viscountess. From what Beckworth tells me, he’s been slowly replacing items with pieces more suited to his own taste.” She chuckled. “I’m not sure what in this place actually reflects Beckworth.”
Eleanor chortled. “He keeps it that way on purpose and has used that excuse for too long. Though, to be fair, he hasn’t spent much time at Waverly these last couple of years.” She took a sip of tea and took two sandwiches from the platter. “But if I had to pick one room, I’d say the library. It’s where he spends most of his time when he doesn’t have guests.”
Stella wanted to see that side of him. She’d learned his behavior patterns when they were in Baywood. He preferred teain the evening after his brandy. On most days, he was an early riser, but on rainy mornings, he brought a coffee urn and two mugs to the bedroom and snuggled next to her. Sometimes, they wouldn’t leave the bedroom until mid-afternoon after long discussions and a round of lovemaking. And surprisingly, or perhaps not that much, he was learning computer skills faster than she would have expected. He finally admitted that Edith and Louise, the two older sisters who’d taken him in during his first unhappy trip to the future, back when he was considered the enemy, had trained him how to search the internet. With that knowledge and his consulting work at Ethan’s security business, he was almost as savvy as her with software apps.
With all that, it was his habits here in the manor that she wanted—no,neededto know. Did he prefer to sit by the fire in the library or his study? Did he always go for a ride first thing in the morning? What business did he really do running an estate?
“Stella, dear, did you hear Mary?” Eleanor asked.
“Hmm. Oh. Sorry. Wow, my mind had definitely left the building.” She smiled at their expressions and made a mental note to tone down the twenty-first-century language. “I was just trying to picture Beckworth spending a leisurely day at Waverly.”
Mary smiled with a twinkle in her eye. “I can’t tell you how thrilled I am that Teddy found you. But I hate that you’re living in a different time.” She held her hand in front of her mouth. “I can’t believe I just said that.” They laughed, then she continued, “I don’t suppose there’s any word of posting banns.”
Stella had just taken a sip of tea and choked but managed to swallow it before spitting it across the table.
Eleanor didn’t bother with etiquette. “I’m sure Beckworth is waiting for the right moment. He won’t do anything until he feels secure enough to support you.”
The statement made Stella pause. She hadn’t considered that would be an issue. He had his own money but not a job. Not something that gave him purpose. It was one of the reasons she’d left this century and him behind. She pushed the concern aside. He just needed time, and she wasn’t in a hurry to get married. Not yet. There was more to learn about each other. Loving someone and marriage didn’t always go hand in hand.
She gave Mary and Eleanor the best response she could. “We met under very traumatic circumstances, and the last few months have been focused on getting him reacquainted with my time period. We’re finally at the stage where we can spend time getting to know each other better.”
“In this day and age,” Mary countered, “we get to know each other during the first couple years of marriage. But I understand it could be confusing trying to blend two different time periods. But AJ and Finn made it work, and their adventure wasn’t any less fraught with danger.”
Stella licked cream frosting off what she would call a little-bitty cupcake. “You’re right. That’s something to consider. But don’t worry. When it’s time to run the banns, you’ll be the first to know.”
She didn’t think it would be anytime soon. She’d seen the light in Beckworth’s gaze when Hensley mentioned that theDaphnewould be tracking down the smuggler. Their pending argument was right around the corner.
Beckworth approached the bedroom but stopped before entering. He’d been avoiding discussing the mission with Stella. It would be easy to blame the long days when they had no opportunity to discuss private matters. He snorted. Ontheir first night home, neither could stay awake long enough to do anything but hold each other.
He reached for the doorknob then stopped. Why hadn’t Stella asked? He took a step back. She seemed fine at dinner. Even gave him a kiss on the cheek before he followed the men into the study. Had she been waiting for him to come to bed to ask him? If she were any other woman, he’d assume she wouldn’t understand how important Hensley’s mission was. Wouldn’t understand how it would intrigue him.
Stella wasn’t any other woman. So, what was she up to? He thought back to the moment they found the men in his study. He hadn’t witnessed any suspicious behavior. Had he missed something?
His thoughts were interrupted when a housemaid walked by, a dress hanging over her arm.
“Good evening, sir. Do you need anything?”
He gave the young girl a smile. “No. I’m fine, Abigail. Have a good night.”
She nodded and hurried on.
Good god. He was scared to walk into his own bedroom. The last thing he needed was another person seeing him standing outside his room. He could already hear them gossiping in the kitchen. Without another thought, he pushed open the door.
The room was ablaze with dozens of candles. Shadows fluttered among the light cast by the flames dancing in the hearth. All his previous concerns disappeared as he searched for Stella. Like a wood nymph rising from the floor, she propped herself up on her elbow. The fire glowed around her, and though it cast her in shadows, there was no doubt she was naked. Waiting for him.
He wanted to rip his clothes off, but he tempered his burning desire to race to her. His movements slowed as he pulled off his jacket. After the boots, the waistcoat and cravat went next.He stepped closer until the contours of her body were visible, beckoning him forward. Memories of the first time they’d made love rushed back. How could he want her even more now than he had then? He untied his shirt and pulled it over his head, dropping it at his feet.
He heard her soft intake of breath, and he smiled. She pushed her hair back, exposing her long neck. He wanted to run his lips over the sensitive skin. He pushed his pants down and stepped out of them. Her eyes followed his movements, and she did the unthinkable. She licked her lips—and he came undone. Nothing else mattered but this woman.
She’d upended his world until she’d chipped away the wall he’d built around his heart and claimed it for her own.
